Sestak to Toomey: Explain Concern about Unemployment Assistance While Supporting Bush Tax Cuts

By SESTAK FOR SENATE

MEDIA, PA – Last week, U.S. Senate candidate Joe Sestak wrote to his opponent, Congressman Pat Toomey, asking him to disavow the senseless comments about unemployed workers by Tom Corbett, Republican candidate for Pennsylvania Governor. Congressman Toomey has been silent for more than a week since his November ballot partner “accused some jobless Pennsylvanians of choosing to collect unemployment checks rather than going back to work.”

Toomey’s ideological colleagues in the Senate have held up an extension of unemployment assistance for millions who have lost this necessary aid since the end of May, explaining their willingness to literally put people out on the streets by expressing concern over adding to the debt. However, they continue to call for an unpaid extension of the Bush tax cuts for the very wealthy that will cost $650 billion. Joe followed up on his letter to Congressman Toomey today, writing that Pennsylvania’s working families deserve to know if he stands by Corbett’s comments and whether he has a plan to make up for more than half a trillion dollars in tax cuts for the very wealthy:

July 18, 2010

Congressman Patrick J. Toomey
3440 Hamilton Blvd
Allentown, PA 18103

Dear Congressman Toomey,

Last week, I wrote to ask whether you share Tom Corbett’s belief that unemployed Pennsylvanians don’t want to go back to work until their unemployment runs out. I have yet to receive a reply.

Across the country, Republicans are lining up in opposition to the victims of the worst financial crisis in generations. From Tom Corbett to Sens. Mitch McConnell and John Kyl, the party line is clear: unemployed Americans are on their own.

They say we can’t afford to provide $30 billion in relief to ordinary folks who are struggling to make ends meet, even as they call for $650 billion (or more) in deficit spending on tax cuts for the super-rich. That’s more than 20 times as much.

The people of Pennsylvania are still waiting to find out where you stand. Do you agree with Tom Corbett – that people don’t want to come back to work while they’re on unemployment? Do you support Senate Republicans, when they insist we need to pay for unemployment insurance, but want to add the Bush tax cuts to our deficit?

These are uncertain times. Through no fault of their own, more than half a million Pennsylvanians are out of work, and many more are finding it harder than ever to make ends meet. People are relying on their elected leaders to make tough choices and offer bold solutions – yet members of your party have spent the last six weeks blocking unemployment benefits for 2.5 million Americans.

I believe the people of Pennsylvania deserve better. We need pragmatic leaders, not blind ideologues. Once again, I call on you to condemn Tom Corbett’s offensive remarks, and let us know whether you agree with Senate Republicans that we should let unemployment benefits fall by the wayside, while exploding the deficit with tax cuts to the super-rich. I look forward to hearing about your plan to offset more than half a trillion dollars in unnecessary deficit spending – or your explanation for why we don’t need to.

Sincerely,

Joe Sestak

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